Eternity never ends
by Stina686
Summary: Of course, the weapon failed. So Blade continues fighting the war against vampires. A mysterious woman finds a soft spot in Blade's heart, but doesn't know what to make of her character. She seems too shady to be true; and Blade isn't naive. Is she human or is she the enemy? What other conquests of the Vampire nation can Blade ruin? Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This story may look familiar, I posted it on my other account. I got the motivation to write again. so here it is. And I don't own any of the characters from the movies.**

Looking around the club, you'd think that it was just a place where people came to dance and have fun. Everybody jumping to the beat of the music and as the song ends, something strange happens. The sprinklers suddenly kick on, and instead of water….it was blood.

This almost was the cue. The scene went from people dancing to animals feasting. Fingernails became claws, teeth became fangs. People became monsters as groups of them pounced onto others. The music continued to play and some started dancing again.

Two or three people could be heard screaming as blood was sprayed everywhere. The sudden boom of music caused everyone to start jumping to the beat once more. A bunch of the creatures attacked a girl who was not aroused by the blood coming from the ceiling. She screamed madly, kicking wildly, trying to stay away from the ones that threatened her, trying to stay alive. Everyone else knew that she fail at her task as her screams trailed off into silence and her body went limp. They began eating her. Blood was gushing everywhere from her neck and body as they sank their teeth into her flesh.

Out of nowhere, the creatures suddenly turned to dust as heads went flying over the crowd. After about twenty died, there was a gap in the crowd where one man stood bearing a sword in his right hand. With his left hand, he straightened the collar of his black leather overcoat.

The glint from the blade stabbed fear into everyone's eyes. They hissed at him as if to ward him off. Slowly he began taking steps toward the crowd that backed up as he went forward. A hush fell over the crowd as the African American put away the sword, they whispered to one another.

"It's him. The Daywalker!" Then one person called out over the crowd, "Go to Hell! Daywalker."

With that, a bunch of them leaped onto him only to be shot as he quickly pulled out twin automatics filled with silver bullets.

That being a lesson to everyone else, they started to scramble. Running left and right, trying to get away. The panicked room somehow lost track of the man that they were frightened of through all of the confusion.

Suddenly a side wall was blasted creating a huge hole, and two people stepped over the rubble; one carrying a machine gun and a woman carrying a long bow, a lot of the crowd stopped to see was happened which was their worst mistake.

The man that had entered through the new door yelled, "Did we catch you mother-fuckers at a bad time!"

Then pulling the trigger, he started shooting reckless at anything and everything. Between the three of them, nearly the entire room was emptied of people. Instead dust and ash mixed with blood littered the floor. There were a few bodies here and there, but most of them were human.

A group of maybe ten bloodsuckers stood close to the entrance of the club. The Daywalker made a move toward them and they took off. He also started running to keep up with them, calling out "Let finish them off!" One of the other two made a "hmph" noise in response. While he continued running out onto the street, he pulls out a couple vials of some sort of blue liquid and inserted them into a dart gun. Turning into an alley where he saw a strangler run into, he cocked the gun. Surprisingly, there was nothing but a dumpster and a garbage heap. Even with that, the darkly clad African-American showed no emotion. His brown eyes quickly scanned the alley for fire escapes or the top of a building for some sort of idea as to where they went. Finding nothing, he turned back to the street.

Into an ear piece that is invisible at first glance, he says softly," Lost 'em."

A perky voice replied behind Blade. "Well, got nothin' back here. Think the god damn fuckers split!"

He grinned at this comment and then added his own," The only problem with that, kid, is that there's nowhere to go."

"Hell, you 'pect me ta know where they went. Fuck that, Blade! Let's just be done and call it a night." The younger man said sluggishly.

Blade shook his head. "You go 'head and head back, I got the ride. Won't be long. There's something that I need to check."

The girl could be heard chuckling, "Well if ya go and die, don't come crying ta me. And come back soon, you know I don't like babysitting!"

The other guy exclaimed, "I heard that!"

Blade kept hearing voices during his conservation. Sounded like a gang, probably chasing a loner. His theory was confirmed when he watched a girl was being chased by some biker-looking freaks. She was running franticly and they were gaining on her. Their speed gave the notion that they weren't human.

"Just as I suspected." He spoke aloud to himself, grumbling to himself. He was going to have to help this girl.

By the time that he reached them, they had her cornered in the dark alley that he just came from. Blade peaked around the corner where the two walls came together. Blade counted five. One had a chain that he was swinging around like a whip, two had baseballs bats, the fourth had twin daggers, and the last had numchucks.

Numchucks! Blade couldn't help but grin. This was going to be fun; vamps with outdated shitty weapons.

He turned and stood in the entrance of the alley, he noted that the one with the daggers seemed to act like the leader of the crack heads. "Oh look sweetheart, your prince of darkness has come to your rescue."

The others turned in his direction.

Blade was attacked with a chain and a couple of bats. He decided to fight with in hand-to hand combat just to make it more fun and to give the stupid assholes a fair chance. Unfortunately for them, they were so stupid that they weren't smart enough to realize that the only way to beat him was to run away. Two of the three became impaled by spokes that stuck out on the sides of the dumpster, and the third guy was decapitated and turned to ash by a silver knife that Blade pulled from his belt. There were very little left at all by the time that Blade was finished, all the remains were scattered by the breeze of the cool night.

Sticking the knife back into his waist, Blade remembered that there were still two other guys and that girl. He turned around to see what damage had been done while he was distracted.

The sight blew him away. The two guys lay on the ground dead with twin stakes, though they were crudely made from the scrap metal found in the dumpster; she had driven them into their hearts. She was panting, trying to calm herself.

She had a gothic look to her. She was dressed in black from head to toe with flaming red hair that reached her shoulders and was layered. Other than the hair, she looked like something that came right from the Addams Family.

But Blade saw past all of this, seeing her lean on the brick building for support. Her hand was pressed at her left side while the other hand hung limp. Her eyes were shut, probably didn't notice that he was standing there until he bent down and shoved the stakes deeper into the demons hearts which then made them disappear into the wind, and all that was left were the stakes that was stuck in the pavement.

The girl slowly opened her eyes to see Blade stand up, straighten his collar, and glance at her for a second. Knowing that with every moment he stared, her eyes grew more and more fearful. She acted as if she was glued to the spot. So he took two steps towards her so that their faces were practically touching; removing his sun-glasses, he commanded, "Remove your hand," and then made a gesture to her left side.

Quickly she obeyed, only to reveal that she had been stabbed in the side and was losing a lot of blood. Blade knew that she would not make it much longer, having lost that much fluid. No human could, she also kept getting whiter and whiter to the point that she could have passed as a corpse.

Then he asked, "What's wrong with the arm?" referring to her other side.

She replied with a wince as she switched weight from foot to foot, "I think that it's broken." Then she searched Blade's eyes and quickly added, "It doesn't matter though. Thanks for helping me. But I need ta…." While she was babbling, she tried to walk some way out of the alley and onto the street. Unsuccessful, she stumbled and fell into Blade's arms. With that, she fainted.

**AN: Thanks for your time. Please Review**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I hope everyone likes this story. **

Well Hell! Now Blade had a huge dilemma. He just stood there, staring down at her pretty face. He didn't know how to react. There was no way in hell that he was forced into some bullshit like this. He didn't like it at all.

His first thought was to leave her, but he knew that it wouldn't sit well in his conscious. That reminded him too much of the past.

His second thought was to take her to the closest hospital, but that would mean that he would be found again. The last thing that he needed was the FBI after him. So that option was ruled out.

But he had to do something. She said something about a broken bone. It needed to be set immediately. He fumed. The only thing that he could do was bring her back with him. He didn't like it, but what else could he do? The girl didn't have a purse, no identification at all. It was the only sane choice that he could make.

He moved her so that it would be easier to carry her. One arm rested under her head, while the other was under the crease of her knees. Blade took his time walking back to his car. He didn't want to hurt the girl. She was so light that he thought that he might break her in half like a twig. Blade laid her in the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. He couldn't believe that he was going to do this, but there was no turning back now.

The African-American slid into the driver's side. He reached into his pocket, but he didn't pull out keys. Instead, he held an inhaler in his hand. He took a puff and shut his eyes tight as he winced. His entire body shook, trying to fight this feeling. He bit down on his lip get rid of that feeling.

Blade looked over at the girl. She looked troubled. He was curious to know her story. How did she come to these circumstances?

He put the key in the ignition and started the car. As he headed back to the warehouse, he couldn't believe that he was bringing her with him. He realized that King would probably give him shit for going soft. There was nothing that could be done about it though. This girl needed some help and Blade intended on giving her just that. Depending on what happened when she woke up, he would either take her back to her home or lock her in one of the rooms in the warehouse. Blade hoped that he could just drop her off somewhere and not have to worry about her anymore.

Once there, Blade pulled into the warehouse and turned his car off. There was no welcoming party, thank God. Blade wondered where they all were, though. He walked around the car and opened the passenger door. He picked up the girl just like he had before and carried her carefully to the weapons room. He laid her down on the cold hard metal table. He started going through cabinets, searching for a medical kit. The upper shelves were filled with all sorts of guns and knives. So he started going through the lower cabinets. Of course, it had to be in the very last place that he looked. Somehow life always works out that way.

He turned back to the girl with the case in hand. He wasn't sure how long it would take her arm to heal. Humans recouped so slowly. He grabbed two splits out of the drawer, and began wrapping her arm.

Then he got out alcohol, thread, and a needle. He lifted her dark t-shirt in order to get to the wound on her stomach. After cleaning it, he began to sewing back together. When he was nearly done, the girl awoke. She cried out as she moved quickly, and Blade had to hold her down.

"Be still." The girl was very obedient, which was very surprising to Blade. She didn't look the type. Perhaps she is afraid of him.

Blade finished the stitches in silence. The girl watched him the entire time though. It was a bit unnerving. Her eyes were so soft and naive. Blade tried to avoid looking at her, but he couldn't deny that she was beautiful. He finished by putting gauze and tape on the jagged line on her abdomen. The girl sat up and looked at Blade, but he closed up the medical kit and turned his back to her in order to put it away.

While he was crouched down, she finally spoke. "Where am I?" Of all the things to ask, she asks the one thing that Blade couldn't tell her. Blade chose to ignore her question as if she hadn't spoken at all.

She slid off of the hard surface and walked up behind him. "Where am I?" Blade became stern. The silly girl couldn't catch on.

Blade stood back up and turned around to face her. "Just be glad you're safe."

Blade realized that he hadn't yet had the chance to look her over. He grabbed her hands and looked at them. They seemed fine, no bite marks there. Blade's hand moved up to her neck. Her skin was soft and glowed even in the dim light. Blade relaxed; she hadn't been bit.

Then he walked past the girl, and back to his baby, his car. He needed fill up with gas. The girl tried to follow him, but he could hear her struggle. Blade put the nozzle in the opening of the car. He was now facing her. She was standing on the platform that the security equipment was stationed. Her hand was at her side that he stitched up.

Blade glanced over and noticed that the van and the bike weren't here. Apparently, King and Whistler didn't know how to follow instructions. He made a mental note to yell at them about it. However, he was thankful. He wouldn't have to explain himself until much later; she might even be gone before they come back.

Seconds later, he was done filling up the car. He walked back over to the girl. As he stepped off the concrete and onto the metal grate, he calmly spoke. "You need to rest."

The girl was about to protest, but she groaned at the pain again. Blade waited for her to catch her breath. "I'll be fine. I always am."

Blade shook his head. "It will take several weeks, if not a month, for your side and arm to heal."

He motioned to the winding stairs. "There's room that you can sleep in."

The girl stamped her foot on the metal grid. "I don't need your help. I could've taken those guys just fine even if you hadn't showed up."

"Oh really, all five of them?" Blade was curious just exactly how stupid she was.

Blade would have argued with her with her some more, but he could tell that she was getting woozy. She would faint at any moment. As usual, he was right. She fell into his arms again, with a strange feeling of déjà vu.

He was glad that she could no longer fight with him, but every time she fainted meant that she was losing more blood than she could handler.

His boots clomped on the metal steps as he went up the stairs. He decided to let her stay in his room. That way, no one would bother her.

He sat down on the bed with her still in his arms. He pulled back the red down comforter and placed her under the sheets. She looked peaceful enough there in his bed. It was a strange sight seeing someone else in his bed. Blade stood up and left the room to busy himself. He had to get something else on his mind.

As he walked down the stairs, he could hear engines revving into the warehouse. The kids were home just in time.

**AN: Alright, I know that I always end with cliffs. But I think that's what makes folks keep coming back for more. Thanks for taking the time to read it, and please take the time to write a review. I know that it's hard sometimes. I myself am at fault for reading without reviewing. Let's just say that it bugs the writer like you wouldn't believe.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I do not own anything you recognize.**

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King and Abby cleaned up the joint. Abby gathered up all the arrows she used; they were expensive and time consuming to make. King rounded up all the empty gun shells. They carefully removed fingerprints from anything they touched, and double-checked for any human bodies. There was only one. The two of them promptly took it out to the river, and dumped it.

On the way back to the warehouse, they listened to the police scanners for anything out of the ordinary. They were going to do everything in their power to make sure the FBI believe Blade was dead.

The two slayers slid carefully out of their vehicle as to not provoke their bruises. Abby nursed a gash on her forearm, moving quickly to keep her blood from spilling. She went straight to the barracks to wash up.

King winced as he removed his utility vest. He glanced up at Blade. "God, you're fast." He sighed. "How is it we leave before you but you always beat us home?"

Blade just stared at him. This kid was too cocky, but he quivered in Blade's presence. "I don't fuck around after the ashes are scattered."

King just blinked. Blade still didn't like him, but at least he learned when to keep his mouth shut.

Blade moved over to their weapons table. He removed his guns from his belt, dissembling it into pieces. With grease and a soft cloth, he began cleaning the metal, taking his time with every piece and crevice. He planned on taking his time making sure everything was in perfect condition. There was no reason to rush; it could be many hours before the girl stirred.

Abby returned to the platform sometime later. She smelled of blood and rubbing alcohol. Her arms was tightly bandaged. Blade glanced up at her. Her cheek was a dark purple already. Blade clenched his jaw. "Keep your damn eyes open. Or there won't be a next time."

Abby nodded.

He raised the barrel to his mouth and blew off the dust and dirt. "Need you to put a change of your clothes in my room. Quietly." Then he picked up a sword and began cleaning it, a gesture he wanted nothing more on the subject.

Abby raised a brow, but said nothing. She turned and headed back to the hall she just came from.

King came out of his room, rubbing a towel through his hair. He whistled at Abby as she walked by him. She turned to face him. "I'm going to need you to stitch up a cut on my back. It itches like a mother."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Give me a minute." In a dash, she was in and back out of her room with clothes in hand. Very cautiously, she opened the door to Blade's room.

King hadn't moved. "What the hell are you thinking? What do you think Blade'll say when he finds out?"

She shushed him, and then walked in.

King stuck his head in the door. "What are you doing anyway?"

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she realized there was a lump under the covers. Her eyes grew wide, and then placed the stack at the end of the bed.

King's jaw dropped. "What the hell?"

Abby quickly shoved King back into the hall, and closed the door. "Was that a woman in his bed?" King shook his head. "Gah, not only did he find a way to make it home before us, but he also found time to pick up a woman and woo her."

Abby said nothing. She took in a deep breath. "I don't think that's what happened. Blade is always alone."

King raised a brow. "You think she's a stray?"

"I don't know what to think. And you shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. Blade would tell us if it was something important."

"Would he? Are you sure about that?"

Abby didn't reply. She stared down at the wood floor for a moment. King could tell that she was growing wearier with every new wound.

"Abby?"

She blinked and looked up at him. "It's been a long night. I'm going to turn in."

King's jaw dropped. "You mean, you're not the least bit concerned at there's a woman here."

Abby snapped, glaring at King. He didn't understand boundaries and always needed to be in the loop for everything. She wondered sometimes how she never got fed up with him more often. She spoke quietly. "Let it be. She's past out anyway. There's nothing we can do." Then she left for her bed.

King took in a deep breath, then turned towards the stairs. It was always rough talking to Blade. He had no idea how he was going to ask. Blade didn't like share time. It always frustrated King how much Blade despised him; he didn't know what he did wrong, but apparently he did it all the time.

King slowly moved down the metal steps, trying to make as little noise as possible.

The slayer seemed to be in the middle of making more silver bullets. It was a process that always eluded King. He didn't have the patience for sitting still that long, and deal with hot liquid.

King stared at Blade. Nothing was going to ease the awkward silence. He might as well blurt out what he wanted to say. "I think I'm hallucinating."

Blade glanced up, then went back to pouring silver.

"I thought I saw someone in your bed. Not just a someone, a woman."

"What are you doing in my room?"

King flinched. He didn't think about that. Blade didn't like anyone prying into anything ever. "I uh, I-, I-, I was helping Abby."

"How is she?"

"Peaceful. Still sleeping."

Blade grunted. That girl was going to be a heap of trouble when she woke up. He wasn't one for sharing, but this girl was going to have to explain herself. She smelled human, but she didn't move like one. He didn't need to hear about another freak that'll create hell for him.

Speaking of which…Blade looked up and sniffed the air. "What's the little one?"

King raised a brow. "You're right. I haven't seen Zoe yet. Maybe she's sleeping."

Blade shook his head. "At this time of night? It's almost dawn."

King smiled. "Oh yeah. I'll check the roof."

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**AN: I'm enjoying writing this story. If you've any suggestions for plot points, I would love it. I'm making it up as I go, so the possibilities are limitless! Please let me know what you think. **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: So, this story is wide open. I'm not letting myself form any official plot because this is an experiment. I'm just typing. However, I do need name ideas for the unconscious girl. Any suggestions?**

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After being awake for more than 24 hours, a human cannot fully function at his best. After being in a bloody fight with several potentially fatal wounds, a human cannot fully operate at his best. After being bitten during his own birth, Blade doesn't have to worry about any of these things. No cure could ever make him human; Daystar proved so.

It didn't upset him. Nothing had changed; this curse was his lot in life. He never hoped nor expected anything more. There was no time to waste on worthless emotion; there was still so much work to do.

He smelled Abby return from her quarters. The scent of her shampoo relieved the old dusty atmosphere in the warehouse.

Blade looked up. She had her arms folded. Her damp hair framed her face. She wore simple sweats and solid-colored tank top. She stared at him the same way her old man used to when he knew something was up. It warmed his heart slightly to still have a piece of him. He broke the gaze with her. He knew she was waiting for him to bring up the unconscious girl. Blade mused; how long would it take her to speak?

He counted quietly as he worked….14, 15, 16…

Abby shifted weight from foot to foot. "I remember a time when I was lectured about the consequences of, how did you put it, 'bringing home strays'. A lecture that my own father gave you often."

His lips curled in a small smile. "A vicious cycle, isn't it?" He set the mold aside.

"I wish I could've known him like you. My mom didn't like to talk about him. I was told that he couldn't be with us because of his job." She fell silent for a moment. "It's one hell of a job."

Blade cracked his knuckles. "Don't let your guard down tonight. I don't know what we're dealing with, but I know she's capable. I turned around and she already ashed three of em."

Abby's eyebrows raised. "But she looked so tiny."

He fumed. "It doesn't add up, but that's what it is."

Abby nodded. "What are you going to do with her?"

Blade inhaled as he picked up his blade, oiling down the metal with a cloth. "Depends on how she answers my questions." He looked down the blade, checking its alignment.

Abby's eyes grew. "You said she smelled human. You're not thinking of killing her, are you?"

Blade grunted. "Humans don't move that fast. The little girl ashed three fuckers in the span of seconds. If she's another forsaken vampire experiment, you bet your ass I'm going to finish her."

There was a pregnant pause that hung in the air. It wouldn't be the first time he killed a human, somehow he doubted it would be the last either. Blade didn't dwell on death. What was the point? He could tell that Whistler wasn't too keen on the plan. Her jaw was clenched.

He could smell the dew in the air. Blade exhaled loudly. He glanced up, as if he could see through the ceiling. Dawn was approaching.

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**AN: Please give me any plot input or name suggestions. If there's a character you'd like to see, let me know. I'm willing to take this whatever twists and turns the blank page throws at me. **


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: So, I am having trouble writing the mystery girl's bio. I throwing around some ideas, but I would like any name suggestions for her. **

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Abby stomped up the stairs, mad as hell. How could Blade do the one thing she was told not to do? She didn't try to slam her door, but it made a loud sound as it hit the threshold.

Blade heard a crash and went to the kitchen. As the girl balanced herself against the island, he stood in the doorway. He stared at the girl. "You have lost too much blood to be walking. You need to be in a bed for at least two days, maybe three at the least."

The human opened her mouth to protest. So he quickly added, "After what you have been through, a full recovery would take two months."

Her voice was hoarse. "I don't have days. I have to leave, now."

Blade folded his arms. "You can't even stand up straight. And your arm needs a new splint."

"That'll heal in a few hours. I have bigger problems than my arm."

Blade raised a brow. "I don't understand"

The girl ignored his implied question. She stared at him with uncertainty. "What are you?" She added. "You smell terrible. What are you?"

Blade put up a hand to the door frame, shifting his weight against it. "I showered earlier. You shouldn't smell anything…Unless of course, you're not human."

Her eyes grew wide as her gaze fell to the countertop where her hand lay. "Then what am I?"

Tears began welling In her eyes. "Tell me what I am."

Blade didn't move. This was unexpected. He coldly watched her panic. "You don't know?"

She shook her head. "I've looked. There's nothing else like me."

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**AN: Sorry it's short, but I wanted to get this out before I made any concrete decisions about the girl...PLEASE review, help would be wonderful!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I would like to thank Lady NeverAfterNon, jcvampirebat, Wannabanauthor, MarieWoods, and HoratiosGirl101 for the reviews. It motivate me to write more. ****I liked writing this chapter even though it's been slow going. I appreciate all the compliments about my dialogue. I love writing dialogue!**

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King walked by unceremoniously, glancing over Blade's shoulder as he passed. The hunter froze mid-step. He backtracked and made eye contact with the girl. There was water on her face and medical supplies scattered on the counter before her. All the clear signs of a damsel in distress. King quickly turned his attention to Blade. "Dawn occurred precisely four minutes and twenty-nine seconds ago. All nocturnal creatures are to resume hibernating. It's past your bedtime, my friend." King winced. "So naturally, me being human and all, I can take over for you and help our guest however I can." He clapped his hands together.

Neither listener was fazed by his antics. Blade clenched his jaw. "Fuck off."

King slumped and nodded. "I should've known that was coming." The girl remained silent as he resumed his original walk down the corridor.

Blade shifted his weight and moved to the girl. He grasped her splint, applying pressure to spots along her forearm. She finally winced when his fingers were close to her elbow. "How fast do you heal?"

She stayed still as he redressed her broken arm. "I fell into a quarry once. I didn't die, just laid there for three days while practically ever bone in my body realigned and healed naturally. I was so bloody painful; I almost wish I had died."

"What is your name?"

She was quiet for a second. "I haven't used my name in a long time. I'm not sure if it has meaning anymore."

"You said you had problems. Like what?"

She grimaced. "My next meal. There's a side of me I cannot control. What if I attack you or one of your people?"

Blade realized he should've been alarmed right then and there, but he could relate. He recalled the days of his youth when he too questioned his own will. Blade gripped the hilt of the sword at his side. "I promise to cut you down."

"Why do you want to help me?"

Blade raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been infected?"

The girl froze in thought, then shook her head. "I don't think I'm sick with anything."

Blade stiffened. "You drink blood, don't you?"

Her eyes grew. "I always black out, and wake up covered in blood."

"Feed on me."

The girl shook as she took a step towards him. "I've never had a willing victim before. I'm not even sure how to start." She stopped just short of touching him. "Maybe it tastes as sweet as I imagined."

Blade shook his head. "It's sweeter than even that."

She immediately jumped backwards to the other side of the room. "You drink blood? What are you? Is this a trick? Are you of the vampire nation?"

Blade drew his gun and a red dot hovered on her forehead. "What do you know about the vampire nation?"

She gulped loudly as her breathing increased. She raised her voice in panic. "They're the ones who are after me."

Blade narrowed his eyes before deciding to lower his weapon. "That's why they were chasing you."

She nodded. "I told you that it wasn't safe to be around me."

Blade grabbed a knife and moved to her quickly. Her eyes grew as he raised the blade. Then suddenly, he cut his wrist. "You need help." Blade brought his hand to her mouth for her to drink.

The girl held his hand tenderly as she brought her lips to the wound.

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**AN: I narrowed down the girl's name to either Regan or Endora. Please vote for which one you prefer. I'd like some feedback on how you felt about this chapter. This story is sort of morphing, and I have no idea where the plot is going to end up.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Please bear with me. I'm trying really hard to work on my stories. I wanted to post something so that no one thought I disappeared. Please let me know what you think of my writing. Enjoy the chapter!**

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King slouched as he walked. Despite the angry tone from Blade, King was able to get a good look at his guest. She was gorgeous in a tragic fairytale sort of way. He hoped that she was just some drug addict Blade took pity on; King wasn't sure if he could handle another superhero in the house.

He shoved open the security door at the end of the corridor. Zoe better pray to God that she's up on the roof and not out causing trouble. He turned on the platform and grabbed the first rung up the ladder to climb to the roof.

He always appreciated a good sunrise. It was a sign of security in his mind. He only wished that he had remembered to grab his sunglasses before heading up here. He squinted as he reached the last rung.

Luckily, there was a certain teenage girl up there, she was laying on her stomach with headphones on. Zoe liked to sit on that computer of hers for hours on end. King had no idea what on God's green earth a teenage girl could spend so much time doing, but he was grateful that she wasn't doing anything worse that her stereotype was prone to behave.

She wore jeans, shirt, and a dark jacket that King remembered giving to her as a present last year. Zoe's brown hair swung in the light breeze that passed over the building. No matter how big she got, King would always think of the little girl that he met all those years ago. He paused as he thought of Sommerfield. King only hoped that he was doing half as good a job at parenting as she was.

He plopped down on the concrete next to the girl. Apparently, she hadn't heard his approach; Zoe whipped out a pocket knife and slashed the air in the direction of King.

"Holy shit, Zoe! It is daytime, you know."

Zoe took out her ear-buds. "Sorry Hannibal."

King reached for the knife. "And just where did you get this little toy?"

She bit the side of her cheek. "I found it."

King narrowed his eyes at the girl. "Just because I'm delightful doesn't mean that I'm stupid."

Zoe couldn't help but grin a little. "I found it on the weapons table. It's not like any of you were using it; it was covered in dust when I came across it."

King sighed. "As long as you didn't take it from Blade's pile. You know how he gets about cleaning your weapon."

The teen nodded. "Did he already go to bed? I wanted his help with my homework."

King laughed. "Oh darling, I didn't know you were such a comedian. What on earth can Blade help you with that I can't?"

Zoe wrung her hands together nervously. "I'm supposed to interview a family member ad write a short narrative about a story from their childhood."

King's jaw was drop. "Now why is it that he opens up to you, and hates my guts? I don't understand. I thought I was a lovable guy."

Zoe giggled. "You are, King. Remember? You are my champion." Then she reached over and wrapped her arms around his neck.

King laughed. "That's only because I told you that I would fatally wound any boy who so much as looked in your direction."

"So, did he already call it a day?"

King sighed again. "No, our own personal Superman is still awake."

Zoe's eyes grew with excitement, and quickly leaped to her feet. She kissed King on the cheek. "Good talk, we can catch up some more after I get this assignment done."

"Yeah. And while you two have your little bonding moment, get me the 411 on our guest, why don't cha?"

Zoe turned her head as she walked. "We have a guest?"

King shook his head as the teen lowered herself out of sight. "Yep. Turns out the Boogyman has a heart after all."

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**AN: I really like the dialogue in this chapter. Even though it was short, I felt like I channeled King fairly well. Please let me know how I'm doing and any plot suggestions you might imagine.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: So I'm starting a new policy that I will work on the story that has the most views the day before. That way the popular ones get done first. I also think this will give me better motivation to post chapters more often. I'm still trying to develop the girl's character; even though I can picture her perfectly in my head, I can't quite perfect her dialogue. Her words always seem a little off to me. So please, leave a note on your thoughts and suggestions for this. Enjoy!**

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**Previously:**

_Blade grabbed a knife and moved to her quickly. Her eyes grew as he raised the blade. Then suddenly, he cut his wrist. "You need help." Blade brought his hand to her mouth for her to drink._

_The girl held his hand tenderly as she brought her lips to the wound._

_OoOoO_

_The teen nodded. "Did he already go to bed? I wanted his help with my homework."... Zoe's eyes grew with excitement, and quickly leaped to her feet. She kissed King on the cheek. "Good talk, we can catch up some more after I get this assignment done."_

* * *

Blade wrapped around gauze around his wrist when the girl was done feeding. He was surprised at how calm she was. He could sense something dark in her subside.

She was taking slow, deep breaths.

He hoisted her up onto the counter."Are you feeling high right now?"

Her eyelids fluttered. "Is that what this feeling is?" She gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles were white.

He reached for her fingers, holding them in his own hands. "Shhh. Relax."

She gulped, then looked at Blade. He was surprised by the change in color of her irises, suddenly a vibrant purple. She giggled. "I think I like this more than I'm supposed to."

Blade shuffled his feet and grunted. "Blood can do that." He held her chin up to look her in the eye. "You have to make the decision if you're going to control it or let this burn in your throat run your life."

She sighed. "Nothing matters right now, but the magic in your wrist." Lightly she ran her fingers over the gauze. "Why am I such a monster?"

Blade reached a hand behind her neck, gazing into her plum colored eyes. "Let me help you."

She leaned forward, using his shoulder as a pillow. "Why do you act like everything's okay? How can this be normal to you?"

Blade exhaled. "You know what I am. You tasted my blood. What other kind of normal is there?" He stroked his hand down her arm. "We can figure it out...together."

"What do I need to do?"

Blade looked up and sniffed the air. The temperature has risen with the sunrise and a certain adolescent fruity shampoo was in the air. He exhaled. "Rest for now. Let me do some asking around before you do anything rash."

She guffawed. "Rest? My mind will be ill at ease until I know I am safe."

He held her sides up as she lowered herself into a standing position. "You are safe." Blade reached for her hand. "Here, now, with me."

She stared at their hands, then glanced up at him. Her eyes searched his. "I trust you." She gripped his hand a little harder.

He led her back to his bedroom. She stopped just inside the doorway while Blade continued to the closet to get extra pillow and blankets. "Take the bed. I'll take care in case you black out again."

She nodded. "Where do you think you're going to sleep?"

"That's not important."

"The bed's big enough; you might as well use it too."

"Perhaps. But there's something I need to take care of first." Blade opened the bedroom door. "I'll be back."

As he closed the door behind him, the aroma of fruity shampoo flooded his olfactories. Blade turned around to face Zoe. "Squirt, I know you wouldn't bother me after dawn unless it was important." He raised an eyebrow. "So this better be important. Main points. Go."

Zoe clung her notebook to her chest. "School project. Biography segment on a family member."

Blade chuckled. "I do believe my story would belong in the fiction section. "

Zoe grinned. "Exactly. You're the reason I believe in superheroes and happy endings. " Her grin disappeared as she stared at her feet. " Actually, I thought it would be a good way to honor Grandpa Whisler. I want to do the assignment on him."

Blade took a deep breath. Some of the best moments in life came from the most unlikely sources. He allowed himself to treat Zoe different than everyone else. She was his daily reminder of the world he was trying to preserve, the innocence to worry about things like homework and boys. He was relieved when Zoe grew out of the phase where she was determined to go on raids with them. It didn't take Abby very long to explain to the young girl just how badly she would attract the undead when she started her first period. Blade was really glad not to be involved in _that _conversation.

The teen standing before him acted like an adult better than King does sometimes. This was a very melancholy moment as memories of Whisler came to mind. "I know you don't remember him. Actually, I don't know if you even met him." He brushed a hand across his brow. "Sure, Squirt. After school today, I can tell you all kinds of stories about the old man."

Zoe's eyes lit up and she hopped for a moment. "Thank you!" Then she forgot herself, and grabbed him into a hug.

He was always startled, but he gripped her tightly in return. "Now that's settled. I need you to make sure King got his back stitched up. The stink of it is reaching all the way down here from the roof. "

Zoe bit her lip. "I didn't realize he was hurt. He didn't say anything about it."

"Well, the kid never learns." He rubbed his hand on the top of her head, messing up her hair. "Now, you have a good day at school today."

Zoe smiled as Blade walked away. "Goodnight, Eric."

He opened his bedroom door. "Night, Squirt."

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**AN: Did I do Blade justice? It's really fun to write Zoe so I was worried the other characters went a little AU. How do you feel about it? **

**Also shout out to Lady NeverAfterNon, jcvampirebat, Wannabanauthor, Mrs. Marie Woods-Winchester, HoratiosGirl101, GreenBlack1991, and Khaz'Dynn for leaving reviews so far. I know it's been a long time since I've posted, but your reviews have been very appreciated! I hope no one has abandoned following me yet. **


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I was excited that there was already a review by jcvampirebat. So just for you, I cranked out another chapter today. I have an idea of what happens next, but I still don't have a real plot. If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears. As always, this is one of the few times that I don't have the whole story outline and summarized in my head. On the bright side, I think I finally found the girl's voice. (I don't want to give away her name yet; that scene is clear in my mind.)**

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As Blade entered his bedroom, there was the sound of shallow, heavy breathing in the dark. He could see in the darkness, but he wasn't sure if the girl could. He flipped the switch on the wall outlet for the overhead light. His eyes widened at the sight.

The girl was lying on the floor in a heap that used to be his bedding. The wooden headboard was cracked and mangled. The feathers from his pillows were all over the room. Blade was just glad the bed was still standing; it was the one piece of furniture he liked in this place.

She glared up at him. "What the fuck happened?"

Blade frowned. "What the hell kind of question is that? You're the one who made a shitty mess of my room."

The girl pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in them as she groaned. "I blacked out again. I tend to attack things."

Blade folded his arms. "I thought that was only when you needed to feed."

She leaped to her feet with lightning speed. Her hands raised up to cover up most of her face in embarrassment. She spun in circles, making note of ALL the damage. "Oh God, I'm so sorry! I'll pay to replace everything. I told you it wasn't safe to be around me."

He growled a little as he grabbed her shoulders to stop the spinning. "Calm down."

"Calm down? Normally, those sheets would be a bloody dead body. It's a lot more realistic to freak out."

"I meant it when I said you were safe here. Never doubt that."

She shrugged him off. "No, I need to leave. Before it gets any worse."

He scoffed. "And go where? Huh? Tell me that."

She shrunk away from him as he raised his voice. Her bottom lip quivered as she began to tremble. "I, I, I ca- , I can't control it. I never asked you to be nice to me."

He sighed. "I was just like you when I didn't understand what i was. I was born like this, the same as you. You're only going to stand a chance if you stick with me."

A tear ran down her face. "At what cost? What if I hurt you?"

Blade uncrossed his arms. "I'm the one with control here. You should be more worried about getting hurt. Know that if you turn out to be a god damned blood sucker, I will cut your head off."

She nodded. Her voice barely loud enough for a whisper. "I can ask nothing less of you." Then she stepped forward to wrap her arms around his body, burying her face in his chest for comfort as she began to cry.

He stood there, just holding her. It was a good moment. This was different from the hug Zoe gave him earlier. He was glad for once that the smell of strawberries was missing. Living with women was much harder for the half-vampire than he let on, but he was trying to be a good sport about the arrangement.

Blade looked down at her. He could only see the top of her head; she seemed so short now, being so close. He growled again. "You need to get back in bed. I'll be here if it happens again."

She sniffed, looking around the floor again. "I'll clean this up for you."

Blade nodded. "Just get the bed put back together. Feathers can be dealt with later." He opened a closet to grab more pillows. "Then you need to rest."

She sniffed again, drying her tears. "You're no going to sit in the corner and stare at me the whole time, are you?"

"What did you have in mind?"

She froze for a second, then gulped. She reached for his hand gingerly, and moved to get on the bed.

He stood, refusing the silent invitation. "You need sleep."

She clenched her jaw with a strong resolve. "Like you said, we don't have to be alone anymore."

He shook his head. "You're wounded."

She leaned back against what was left of the headboard. "It's because you afraid, afraid to let your guard down in case I black out again. Aren't you?"

He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I am not afraid. We need to understand what you are. "

"Or what? You might actually smile for once?"

Blade took in a deep breath. "You're right, I can't let my guard down because I cannot forget what I am."

She reached for his hand and held it, looking into his brown eyes. "From what I've seen, you protect 're compassionate."

He squeezed her hand. "You're not thinking clearly. You're still light-headed from the blood loss." Then he stood. "I'll get you a glass of water."

She sighed. "You're probably right."

He quickly moved to the door to open it. He heard her mutter, "Damn." Blade didn't turn around. He quickly closed the door behind him, then took in a deep breath. He squeezed a fist at his side. Blade couldn't trust himself to be in the same room as her; she looked like she was about to jump his bones. He's wasn't comfortable with just a quick fuck. Something inside him wanted better than that.

Blade waited several minutes for good measure. He went causally to the sink, filling a plastic cup of water, and remained at this pace as he headed back to his bedroom.

Opening the door to the lit room, the room looked completely cleaned up; the feathered pillows intact. the broken bed was put together. It looked as if she had never been there. The girl was gone.

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**AN: Let me know how you feel about my writing style. Sometimes I get caught up in thinking I'm a great writer, that I don't really take a step back to look at the work as a whole. I would really appreciate any and all constructive criticism.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: So a lot of people are reading the story, but no one is leaving any feedback. I can't figure if you all like the story or if I'm going off the deep end, and it's not interesting anymore. Let me know if I need to refocus or have a change of pace. Enjoy the chapter.**

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When Blade left the room, the woman sighed. She could tell that he really didn't want anything to do with her. She stood slowly, being gentle with her wounds. Blade was right, she was in too much pain for sex now. She didn't want to burden him anymore than she already had. Her head jerked up at the door as she realized it didn't take very long to get a glass of water.

She closed her eyes, slowing down time. When she was in this mode, an hour to her was only a second for everything around her. She wasn't sure if it was time slowing down, or her body moving that quickly; but she took her time tidying up the mess she made. She thought about leaving a note of gratitude, but decided it was better if she left no trace.

When she was satisfied the room was clean enough, she made her way up to the roof in order to figure out where the hell in the city she was. As she climbed the metal rungs of the ladder, she blinked, making time normal again.

When she got to the top, she wiped her hands on her hands. Her hand moved over her eyes to shade how bright it was already outside. Birds were chirping, car honking; all the sounds of the city waking up.

Then she looked across the roof when she heard a clicking noise. There was a girl aiming a gun in her direction. "Are you the one Blade brought here?"

She tilted her head to the side. "Yes, but I need to go. Please let him know that I appreciate everything he's done."

The girl lowered the weapon. "It's nice to meet you. When will we see you again?"

Regan furrowed her brow. "Again?"

Zoe crossed her arms. "Yeah. Blade smiled for the first time today in a while. He was really nice to me, and that doesn't happen."

"Hmm, well...I don't know the answer. I just know I have some business to manage."

The little girl nodded. "What's your name?"

She thought for a moment to herself. Blade asked her the same thing earlier, but her mind was jumbled. "My name?"

The girl approached her. "Yeah, I'm Zoe. Who are you?"

She smiled. "I am Endora." Then leaped off the roof to the asphalt below.

* * *

Blade could smell the girl's trail. He quickly followed it up to the roof. He put his sunglasses on and looked around.

"Blade!"

He turned at Zoe's voice. "Hey Squirt."

"What are you doing up here?"

He growled softly. "The girl got away."

Zoe raised a brow. "Got away? I thought she was a guest, not a prisoner."

Blade took in a deep breath. "I don't know what she is."

She waved her arms in dismissal. "Don't worry. She'll come back."

He tilted his head with curiosity.

Zoe folded her arms. "She likes you, Eric. It's so obvious."

He grunted. "Life doesn't work like your fairy tales, kid. If we see her again, I might have to kill her."

"Because she's not human?"

"How could you tell?"

Zoe pointed to the edge of the roof. "She jumped off, landed on her feet like a cat, and kept running." She shrugged. "I didn't really question it because she was with you."

Blade reached into his pocket to grasp his inhaler. He pulled it out. "You should get ready for school."

Zoe looked down at her watch and her eyes widened. "I didn't realize how late it was."

He squeezed the inhaler into his mouth, and his body began to shake as the serum flooded into his system. His body began to shake uncontrollably.

Zoe reached out to his arm, and held it there until he stopped seizing.

"You didn't have to do that."

She stepped forward into a hug with him. "Yes, I did. You're a part of this family; someone's got to keep an eye out for you too."

He squeezed her lightly. "You keep this family sane, you know that?"

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**AN: As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. Have a fantastic week everyone!**


	11. Chapter 11

THIS IS A REPLACEMENT CHAPTER

Hello everyone,

Since I've posted my question, this story has received a lot more traffic than I expected. Thank you to all of you who have favorited and followed. Special thanks to cooltreeko for leaving a review, which I will use as inspiration for some plot point.

Thank you and enjoy your St. Pat's, Stina686

* * *

Original post:

**Hello everyone,**

**I've realized that I've been lacking in my own goal to regularly post new chapters for quite some time now. I believe that I need some help in this. I am looking for someone to be my writing partner, someone to keep me accountable and possible beta my stories from now on.**

**Since you already read my work, I wanted to ask you first. If you have the time and patience, I would really appreciate any help I can get. Please message me if you would like to help participate at all in my endeavor.**

**Thank you for your time, Stina686**

**PS. Before I replaced this chapter, below was a bit of Endora's background per FF rules. If you had the chance to read it, consider yourself lucky, because I never post things like that. It included important info the the plot.**

* * *

With Zoe safely off to school, Blade rested that morning. He trusted Whistler to runs the errands today. He wasn't in any mood to do mundane tasks at the moment. He was troubled by Zoe's account of her interaction with the mysterious woman. Zoe told him her name and that she leaped off the building with ease.

But it meant that he wouldn't be asking anyone about the mysterious woman either. Zoe said her name was Endora, one that sounded strange and foreign. He went through his computer's index for any mention of the name. But there was still a large portion of the vampire's chronicles that needed translating. However, two mentions of the name were found in the same passages as those of Drake.

Blade sniffed as he thought of the legendary beast named Drake. Despite his hatred for vampires, Drake was a worthy opponent who abided by the warrior's code. It was the only thing that allowed Blade such freedom now; the government and general public believed him to be dead. The police certainly weren't going to admit that they caught the villain, only to have the corpse change shape.

Blade appreciated this loophole, only if it stopped the human manhunt for him. The vampires didn't let up at all in the war. New nests and new haunts were popping up all the time.

Endora appeared next to Drake in those passages. What did that mean?

He growled. He hated this business with Endora. Perhaps he should have left her to fight for her life? But if she was like Drake, this would explain why the Vampire Nation would hunt her? He was certain that they vampires didn't have any chance to use Drake's blood for any research.

Blade decided that he would do all in his power to keep the vampires from getting Endora.

When sleep eluded him, Blade took extra care to clean his weapons, go through several training forms, and workout.

It was early afternoon when Blade stepped out of the shower. He exhaled as he glanced up at the clock on the wall. The compound felt too quiet for the time, not even the sounds of Abby's earbuds prickled the air.

He sat down on his bed cautiously. Stretching out his arms and legs, Blade yawned loudly.

He sniffed the air once more. The air was stale of Endora's scent. He grew still as he replayed Zoe's words. The teen was so confident that the woman would return.

Zoe seemed more and more clairvoyant these days. Blade wondered if Drake did something to change her. Zoe smelled human, but Blade was beginning to smell something more in her aura. It was unsettling, however, not urgent.

Blade kept these thoughts to himself. Abby nor King would believe in the truly supernatural. He was just exposing them to the concept that there were more monsters than vampires out in the big bad world. They wouldn't handle something like that well, especially if Zoe didn't actually develop any gift.

Perhaps it was time to move base again. If that woman brought back more vampires, e didn't want his people in danger. Maybe they should go back to the cabin.

He closed his eyes as the memories unfolded.

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**AN: Forgive me for the short length, and probably the confusion you have now. Please leave a review of your thoughts and opinions.**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: This story is getting so much traffic. I really appreciate the reviews, followings, and favorites. Please tell me if I'm going at the right pace or right direction. I often have to reread what's already written to know where to start again. Also, this chapter just sort of wrote itself, hopefully everything is clear. **

**Please let me know if you have any questions.**

**I don't own anything you recognize.**

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Blade dried and dressed quickly. He didn't want to waste any more daylight than already passed.

He hastily scribbled a vague note to Whistler, telling her to initiate Operation Lincoln.

He loaded up his trunk with as many weapons and ammunition could fit, along with a spare case of serum. The rest was up to Whistler.

Everything was settled. As soon as King pulled Zoe out of school, the three would be on their way to the cabin. Zoe would like that.

Blade secured his gear in the Charger. He drove around the city, on the lookout for familiars, making certain he wasn't being followed.

He arrived at his hideout hours later. Everything was accounted, everything was in motion.

The hideout was an abandoned strip mall on the other side of town. He wasted little time securing the perimeter, no squatter or riff-raff. He switched the Charger's license plate before unloading the trunk.

Dusk would be soon. He needed to refocus fast. He stood in the middle of the clothing store front, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He moved his arms out in one fluid motion, going through various martial arts stances while inhaling and exhaling loudly. The sounds of the city disappeared. Blade honed in on the beating of his own heart.

He would remain true to his mission. He would rid the world of the twelve houses. He would extinguish the undead.

The stagnate air moved sharply. Blade drew his firearm, searching for the culprit.

A young woman dressed in a habit glared at him with a raised brow. "Is that how you greet friends these days?"

Blade lowered his weapon and scoffed. "Never could figure out how you sneak up on me."

The nun smiled softly. "All God's children are full of surprising talents."

"You know what, you can tell your god-"

She raised her voice over him. "How else would I know you need my help?"

Blade sighed. "You got me there, Sister."

She approached his supplies. "What is it this time, Eric?"

Blade licked his bottom lip in hesitation. "What do you know about Endora?"

The nun furrowed her brow as she began playing with one of his butterfly knives. "Endora? Let me think." She walked around in a circle, twirling the blade. "Several come to mind. Do you mean Endora, one of many daughters of the Mother Goddess Akasha?" She laughed. "Or do you mean the horrid mother on Bewitched?"

Blade snarled. "What about Akasha's daughter?"

The nun stood still for a moment. "Endora didn't do much of consequence. She was a large supporter in her Mother's conquest to rule all mortals; however, I believe Endora met an untimely stake during the ancient Sumerian Coup. None of the reign survived. Dagon made certain of it when he wiped them all out."

Blade frowned. "Dagon? As in Dracula? As in Drake?"

The young woman clasped her hands together. "While I'm all for teaching you a history lesson, why don't you tell me what it is you really want to know?"

Blade folded his arms. "Rachel, we've known each other for a long time."

She nodded. "Eric, just tell me. You know I'll find out anyway."

He brought his arm up, resting his chin on his fist. "I stumbled on something, not sure if it's new or really old."

Rachel's green eyes gleamed. "You know how I love puzzles." She held her hands out.

Blade nodded at her unspoken request, and removed a leather glove. He grasped her hand firmly.

Rachel's eyes moved back and forth rapidly under her closed lids as he thought of Endora, finding her in the alley, dressing her wounds, talking to Zoe about her.

Showing Rachel his memories tingled.

She let go of him with a gasp. "Oh good lord, that's Endora!"

Blade chuckled. "Tell me something I don't know."

Her eyes widened, and she paced once more. "You don't understand. She's one of the House of Dragul, Dracula's own."

Blade shrugged. "And?"

The nun threw her arms up. "The House of Dragul has been extinct for centuries. This is an amazing discovery. If Endora could survive, who's to say there aren't others?!" She jumped up and down. "The scholars are going to go ape-shit over this."

Blade removed his glasses. "So she's definitely a vampire?"

"She's like Drake, she has the purest form of the vampire gene. That's why Zoe could talk to her on the roof like that. The Draguls were paranoid about protecting their secrets. There is no complete list of their abilities or their origins. It's why they were such a target back in the day."

Blade furrowed his brow, "But she doesn't know."

Rachel paused her celebrating. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't show you everything. Endora doesn't know she's a vampire. She has constant blackouts. She couldn't remember her own name when I asked, until the next morning when Zoe asked again."

Rachel bit her bottom lip. "That is troubling. Especially since the Vampire Nation is after her."

They both fell quiet in contemplation.

Rachel sighed. "I'll do some asking around."

"Just remember to be careful."

She hugged him heartily. "And you remember to come see me more often. You know I worry about you, all of you."

Blade pat her on the back. "And as soon as Zoe shows signs, I'll bring her straight to you. I know the drill."  
"Don't let this," she placed a hand on his temple, "be your downfall. You should believe by now that there are no coincidences."

Blade inhaled deeply. "Then tell me, where should I start looking for her?"

Rachel walked away towards the back of the building. "That's not how this works. Use those immortal instincts of yours."

Blade heard a door close, and knew he was alone again.

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**AN: Remember to review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: This story has officially had one hundred visitors for the month of March. Even though not everyone is following or reviewing, I do appreciate the support. I feel much more motivated to continue writing. If you are still keeping up with this story, please let me know how you feel about it. I am always trying to improve myself, but I need feedback to do that. I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's definitely a change of pace from the last one.**

* * *

King didn't sleep that morning. He was the responsible one of the group that drove Zoe to school every morning. It fell to him to act as her legal guardian in regards to anything school-related; it hadn't been too difficult to procure the papers proving so. He wasn't sure if Abby and Blade actually trusted him or if he simply got the short stick of the three; but he took this responsibility very seriously.

It was his little daily dose of normal. His favorite part was coming up with creative sack lunches for their little ward. He liked to make art out of her food and leave fun notes for her to read during lunch. King worked his ass off to make sure everyone at that school was jealous of Zoe Sommerfield, if for nothing else than having someone at home who cared so much. King liked to think he was doing a better job parenting than his own father.

It was a bit more difficult this particular morning because his wound hadn't been dressed properly yet. The dried blood pulled at the open skin with every movement. He winced silently, but he hid the pain in front of Zoe.

Zoe walked into the kitchen. "I'm ready."

King nodded as he handed her the brown paper bag. "Then let's go."

Zoe shook her head. "You're not ready."

He narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"

Zoe rolled her eyes. "You're still in slaying gear, Hannibal. And Blade told me that you didn't take care of that cut on your back."

"I think I can take care of myself."

Zoe laughed. "Fine then. But don't say I didn't warn you when those volunteer moms swarm you into dating them all."

King smirked. "You can't fault me for being this irresistible." Then he flexed his arms. "It's from all the arts and crafts I've been doing. Can't you tell?"

Zoe rolled her eyes once again. "Oh god, don't ever do that again," dashing away from the room.

King grinned. He must be doing something right if the teenager is thoroughly embarrassed.

After dropping Zoe off in front of the high school, King drove around town, listening to his police scanner. No bodies discovered downstream. No violence reported from the club's neighborhood. The cops had no clue what went down the night before. King finally felt like he could relax.

He went to a free clinic in town, where one of his sources worked. The nurse patched him up, and chatted as usual. The source didn't have anything new to offer, but King did 'donate' a stack of bills for future investment.

Hannibal enjoyed being around people, each a reminder for why he hunted. He walked to a park nearby and sat on a bench. From behind his sunglasses, he simply watched the various people moving their way through the park.

His life finally found routine. Hannibal knew what to expect when he woke up every day, and everyone went to bed safely every night. He knew Sommerfield would be proud of the way they were raising her daughter, and Blade even fit somewhere in there.

King sighed as he realized how much time had passed. He needed to get home and work out before returning to the high school for Zoe.

He drove home without any mishaps.

When Whistler strolled down the grated winding stairs towards King's SUV, he knew something was wrong. King said nothing as he exited the vehicle.

She continued to frown, but held out a slip of paper she'd crumpled.

He hesitated to take it. What could be so bad? He scanned the scribbling, forming a frown himself.

He whispered. "Initiate Operation Lincoln?"

Abby nodded. "Blade's already gone."

His jaw dropped, "Wait, we're never going to see him again?"

"King, don't be so dramatic. We knew this could happen."

"No! Blade can't just decide things for us. We're Nightstalkers, remember? We hunt the things that go bump in the night! He can't just declare it's too dangerous for us. I didn't agree to be some lackey to a blood-crazed half-breed who doesn't know how to crack a smile."

Abby folded her arms. "Are you done?"

King straightened his jacket, and stretched his neck. "I suppose so. Yes, I am."

She shuffled her weight; her bottom lips moving, but forming no words. She stared at the concrete floor.

King read the note again. "How do we know this is from Blade, and not some trap waiting for us out in the woods?"

Abby furrowed her brow, sweeping her hair out of her face. "Hannibal, you really think we would have that kind of security breach? Do you understand what that would mean?"

He nodded. "I know, I know. But-"

"No! We don't have time to debate this. I don't know what's still at the cabin. We need enough supplies to last a few weeks."

King bit his bottom lip as he remembered the last time they were at the cabin.

* * *

_Whistler suggested they take a break for the weekend. The Nightstalkers were on recon at the moment, and the trio just finished uprooting a nest of vampires. It would take a few days before knowing where to hunt next._

_Blade only agreed to it because Zoe seemed spooked. She recently started asking questions about what they went out and did every night, and wanted to know how to defend herself._

_Blade recalled being a teen himself, and how fighting was a second nature. He frowned as he recalled the number of corpses he'd created over his adolescent years._

_While he had no casual wear, Blade agreed to go on this trip. They traveled a few hours to a log cabin on a quiet lake. Zoe was enthralled by the scenery, not used to seeing trees where skyscrapers should mark the skyline._

_There was even a waterslide off the wooden dock. Blade contended to sit on its edge while the others took a swim._

_King was giddy from the array of children's pool toys he brought along. He and Zoe had several noodle duels over the course of the weekend._

_Abby preferred to sunbathe next to Blade._

_Zoe shot a squirt gun in Abby's direction. The slayer was startled and frowned, but folded her sunglasses and set them aside before cannon-balling practically on top of the young girl. Both ladies squealed and began trying to dunk one another._

_King floated on his back, eyes closed to the beaming sunlight. As Abby and Zoe were engrossed in their shenanigans, he took the opportunity to climb back onto the dock._

_He shook the water free from his hair and plopped down next to the half-blood. "Are you enjoying your glimpse into a proper childhood memory?"_

_Blade raised a brow. "I take it you were a normal kid who complained about going to camp every summer?"_

_King nodded. "Not quite, but almost." He adjusted his towel under him. "Yeah, I like to think my life was normal until I chose to leave home."_

_Blade grunted. "You, leave the comfort of home-cooked meals and adolescent-entitled laziness?"_

_King furrowed his brow. "Yes, as chipper as my dazzling personality insists, my home life was sort of in the toilet."_

"_We all have problems." Blade flipped up his glasses to look King in the eyes. "Just don't forget to cherish the ones you do have. Because I didn't."_

"_What happened to you as a kid?"_

_Blade inhaled. "I destroyed everything good around me." He watched Zoe laugh and swim around as he spoke. "That's why I'm not going to let anyone mess this up for her. That girl deserves more than this hell of a life."_

_Blade put a hand on King's shoulder. "So you make damn sure that she is kept safe."_

_King smiled. "Wow, big guy. I didn't know you were such a softie."_

"_Tell anyone, and I'll fuck you up."_

* * *

Abby shoved another slip of paper at King. "Here, I divided the supplies up. It shouldn't take too long to gather everything. When you're done, you need to pull Zoe out of school."

She began opened the side door of the van, taking a couple duffle bags out.

His eyes widened. "Zoe! How are we going to explain this to her?"

Whistler shrugged as she began gearing her vest and belt. "She's a smart girl. Just tell her the truth."

King jerked his neck in doubt. "You think she can handle Blade just disappearing like that? Hell, I'm having trouble with it myself. Zoe doesn't need that kind of pressure."

She stopped to think about it. Then she pulled out an envelope from her work bench. "How much cash do you have on you? We need to make it last until the Foundation contacts us."

"Shit, Abby. Doesn't Blade have some set aside for times like this? He would have started Lincoln if he knew we couldn't stay afloat."

She loaded up her bow's case and quiver. "Fine. Maybe he left a stash at the cabin."

King snapped his fingers. "Nah, Blade might have disappeared, but he didn't just skip town. Isn't protocol to go to some church to give him messages?"

Abby nodded. "Sure. I'll find the address and swing by." She began searching through the work bench drawers. "What are we supposed to say again?"

"We, uh, we say 'We have donations for' uh, for uh….'we have donations for New Orleans relief fund', or some shit like that."

Abby nodded and jumped into the driver's seat of the van. "I'm going straight to the cabin after the church. I'll call you if I find out anything."

King quickly approached the driver's door. Without thinking, he kissed Abby on the cheek. "You be careful."

Abby smiled, and kissed him back on the lips. "You too."

* * *

**AN: I apologize if the story seems choppy at this point. I struggle with telling versus showing. So if you feel that I'm doing too much of one or the other, please tell me. Also, even though the characters seem to be headed in different directions, I do know how it all connects together. Thanks!**


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